2007 Maserati MC12: Million-Dollar Baby

Exotic Car Review: As the world curiously awaits the return of a classic with the debut of the new Maserati GrandTurismo at the upcoming 77th Geneva International Motor Show, we thought taking a look at another supercar by Maserati would offer some variety. The beastly 2007 Maserati MC12 is a mid-engine, two-seater with a removable top and rear-wheel drive. There is a racing and a road version of this beautiful behemoth. The incomparable know-how gathered from Maserati Ferrari Group's racetrack experience is packed in to the MC12's 630-horsepower, six-liter V-12 engine. It has a top speed around 205 mph and goes from zero to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds.

The MC12 features a six-speed Maserati Cambiocorsa transmission with an electro-hydraulic gearbox with paddles located behind the steering wheel. The transmission has a sport mode and a racing mode. Sports mode provides more traction, while racing mode is more suitable for the oval tracks. The dual double-wishbone suspension with a push-rod design makes for easy handling under any circumstances. The 19-inch, aluminum-alloy wheels accentuate the vehicle?s racy bodylines. The car's roof is removable.

The interior is classic Maserati, neat and understated. The steering wheel and seats are made from carbon fiber and trimmed precisely with perforated blue leather. The high-containment seats are made of carbon fiber with the shoulder area and outsides in the same perforated blue leather. The upper portion of the steering wheel is slightly flattened for better grip. The titanium backdrop for the instrument panels, which are set around a centered speedometer, enhances the subtle sophistication of the MC12's interior symmetry. The foot pedals are aluminum and the floor mats are rubber.

The road-driven version of the Maserati MC12 is available only in white with a blue trim. The colors stem from a racing tradition that dates back to the early 1960s. Topless or with a roof, this is a brutishly handsome sports car with a gnarly engine, an absorbing suspension, and an unchallengeable pedigree of a champion.